James Woods is taking legal action against a Twitter user who has sent defamatory tweets to the actor, labelling him a “cocaine addict”.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Once Upon a Time in America star has filed a $10m lawsuit against a user known as “Abe List”. Woods’ actions were triggered specifically by AL’s accusation that he is a “cocaine addict”.

In reply to a tweet Woods sent about media priorities, AL replied “cocaine addict James Woods still sniffing and spouting”. The complaint reads that Woods “is not now, nor has ever been, a cocaine addict, and AL had no reason to believe otherwise.”

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This week, Woods went to LA’s superior court to begin proceedings against the defendant, whose profile suggests he or she lives in Los Angeles.

“AL’s reckless and malicious behaviour, through the worldwide reach of the internet, has now jeopardised Woods’ good name and reputation on an international scale,” the complaint reads. “AL, and anyone else using social media to propagate lies and do harm, should take note. They are not impervious to the law.”

AL’s tweets have typically been replies to controversial statements made by Woods on Twitter, including a birther-related tweet about Barack Obama in December 2014. AL responded with: “you are a ridiculous scum clown-boy James, a joke.”

“In the past, AL has referred to Woods with such derogatory terms as ‘prick,’ ‘joke,’ ‘ridiculous,’ ‘scum’ and ‘clown-boy,’” the complaint states. These terms can be seen as non-actionable opinion, but the use of “cocaine addict” is closer to defamation.

Woods’ lawyer believes that the thousands of followers that AL has have been witness to “a campaign of childish name-calling targeting Woods”.

Many of the tweets in question have been deleted, but some are still available online.

Woods, a vocal Republican, has previously claimed that his politics and dislike of Obama has cost him work in the industry. His last major film was 2013’s White House Down, alongside Channing Tatum.